The present invention relates to combustors of the type used in gas turbine engines or the like and, more particularly, is concerned with a combustion chamber assembly having a center liner which is removable from the engine independently of the remaining portions of the assembly.
Gas turbine engines and the like which are utilized as stationary or vehicular power plants require less frequent inspections and overhauls and less maintenance than the older types of power sources such as piston engines. Nevertheless, these engines have many critical points which must be periodically inspected or replaced during the lifetime of the engine. The need for inspecting components such as the combustion chamber assemblies is particularly important since these assemblies are subjected to wide temperature variations and temperature extremes that impose severe stress and cause progressive deterioration.
Some prior art combustion assemblies such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,778,192 issued to P. J. Kroon are made for complete removal from the associated engine and for sectional replacement after the assembly has been removed. Complete removal of the combustion assembly, of course, also entails removal of the fuel injection system which may be time consuming especially if an inspection of the combustion assembly is all that is required.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a combustion chamber assembly having an outer burner can liner which supports the fuel injection components and an inner center liner which is removable for inspecting the combustion components such as the outer liner and other nearby elements such as transition ducts and stator or rotor vanes over which the combustion gases pass in the first stage of the turbine.